The fifth edition of the NWTCA/CNW Teams of the Decades focuses on the 1990s.
It was a period of stability for the competition, with the same six clubs competing every season in A Grade. It was also a time of regeneration for the Association, led by incoming president Mike Sage and a host of top-quality players who had shown glimpses of what they were capable of towards the end of the previous decade.
Wynyard began the era with a premiership that broke a 16-year drought, before Burnie Yeoman flexed its muscle over the next two seasons, along with also having success in 1995/96 and 1999/2000.
Ulverstone then emerged from the wilderness with a talent-laden side to taste success in 1994/95, for the first time since 1961/62, and went on to win another two grand finals in the 1990s (1996/97 & 1998/99), while Devonport was consistently around the mark and claimed a pair of premierships (1993/94 & 1997/98).
Leading the run tallies for the competition were the dynamic Burnie Yeoman pairing of Dale Baker and Danny Buckingham (who also had one season at Devonport), sharing 6 batting awards between them.
Sheffield ironman Craig Boutcher was by far the leading wicket-taker for the decade, averaging over 35 dismissals per season, while Shane Walker’s all-round talents helped Wynyard and Burnie Yeoman to successful campaigns.
The 1990s team features eight players who would go on to be Hall of Fame inductees, while Danny Buckingham, David Mullett and Kevin Pearce were selected for their second team of the decade.
TEAM OF THE DECADE – 1990-91 to 1999-2000
DALE BAKER (Burnie Yeoman): 10 full seasons, 5750 runs @ 52.27; DANNY BUCKINGHAM (Burnie Yeoman/Devonport): 10 full seasons, 5333 runs @ 59.92; JASON PEARCE (Ulverstone) - WK: 7 full seasons, 3987 runs @ 44.80, 70 catches, 24 stumpings; SCOTT BLAIR (Ulverstone): 8 full seasons, 3478 runs @ 29.98; MARTY WHISH-WILSON (Ulverstone): 5 full seasons, 2430 runs @ 39.19; KEVIN PEARCE (Devonport/Latrobe): 9 full seasons, 3701 runs @ 35.93; SHANE WALKER (Wynyard/Burnie Yeoman): 2653 runs @ 24.13, 263 wickets @ 23.14; MICHAEL MANEY (Devonport): 9 full seasons, 1810 runs @ 22.63, 174 wickets @ 20.38; CRAIG BOUTCHER (Sheffield): 10 full seasons, 364 wickets @ 20.78; DAVID MULLETT (Devonport: 10 full seasons, 252 wickets @ 15.44; MARK STEVEN (Devonport): 9 full seasons, 202 wickets @ 19.88; 12th Man - CHRIS SQUIBB (Ulverstone): 5 full seasons, 2364 runs @ 36.37.
